The Galaxy Backbone Limited has embarked on Capacity Building Program for Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups for over 400 leaders across 100 Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Delivering his keynote address during the official flag-off of the capacity building programme for public servants in the Digital Transformation Technical Working Group (DT-TWG) Batch 2, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Pantami said that the capacity building programme for public servants is in alignment with at least 3 pillars of its Ministry’s National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy for a Digital Nigeria.
“COVID19 brought about the necessity to fast track government digital services in Nigeria Flag of Nigeria, Pantami said.
Delivering his welcome address at the training with the theme “Strengthening The Digital Economy Drive in Nigeria’s Federal Public Sector Using Galaxy Backbone’s Digital Services”, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof Muhammad Bello Abubakar took the participants back on memory lane of how Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups came about as well as his Agency 6 pillars which include; Government Policy, Financial sustainability, Consumer satisfaction, Operation excellence, improved capacity building and Data sovereignty.
“Galaxy Backbone, wholly-owned enterprise of the federal government, will continue to leave up to its mandate by providing ICT infrastructure and services to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Prof Abubakar said.
He said that as the largest public sector backbone provider, the Company is a giant in collaboration and aggregate partnerships for value addition and digital services which will support and help actualize the 8 pillars of the National Broadband Policy designed by the Honourable Minister Of Communications & Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami.
“Galaxy Backbone Limited has robust infrastructure. Today, we account for 13% of all fibre optic cables laid in Nigeria which is around 37,000 kilometres.
“GBB represents a ready-made backbone which the government and private organisations can leverage. We also represent the platform for linking national, regional and global research network and knowledge clusters.
In his own remark, the Director General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said that NITDA in its first batch has trained 442 participants from 89 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and most participants attest to the fact that the Capacity Building Program for Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups is the best training they ever received within the public sector.
He stated that, “NITDA is taking strategic steps to implement the Nigeria e-Government Master Plan (NeGMP) and National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) documents to the latter in order to ensure Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) are properly guided and protected against pitfalls while implementing digital initiatives; ensure the persistent rate of IT failures are drastically reduced; government businesses and digital technologies are properly aligned for the acceleration of digital transformation in Nigeria.”
In a bid to receive first-hand feedback, the Minister of Communications & Digital Economy, Dr. Pantami proceeded for the physical assessment shortly after official flagging off a two-day training executive course 11 for public servants in the digital transformation technical working group DT-TWG (Batch 2).
Giving overview of the training, the Group Head, Research, Digital Innovation and Skill Department, Nasir Suleiman said that various topic such as Network Infrastructure Across the Federal Civil Service; IP Phone and Video Conferencing Infrastructure; Web/Portal Hosting on the Government Platform; Use of Govmail and Provision of 1st line support services to users in the Federal Public Service will be discussed while award will be presented to the best participants with certificate presentation.
It will be recalled that the Federal government inaugurated Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups (DT-TWGS) of Federal Public Institutions (FPIS) Phase 1aimed at driving the implementation of its National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS) on the 27th of August 2020.
The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, at the inauguration stated that, “In today’s digital economy era, governments must treat digital as an integral part of governance in order to succeed and compete globally.
“Without appropriate digital governance, it becomes difficult for digital investments and implementation to meet strategic objectives and expectations,” He said.
He added that, “At a minimum, the DT-TWG will be an instrument to the implementation of four pillars in NDEPS. The pillars are Developmental Regulations, Service Infrastructure, Soft Infrastructure and Indigenous Content Promotion and Adoption.”
On developmental Regulation, DT-TWG will be required to ensure all ICT and digital technologies related polices and regulations are adhered to by their organizations in a manner that enables national development.
“Service and Soft Infrastructure are critical to achieving appropriate deployment of Government Digital Services (GDS) and to strengthen public confidence in the use of digital technologies and services. DT-TWGs are to support the federal government to develop citizens’ friendly digital mechanisms in support of service innovations and digital transformation for digital Nigeria.
DT-TWGs are required to give preference to indigenous digital solutions while making IT decisions in their respective organisations in line with Executive Orders 003 and 005 of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and in support of indigenous content promotion and adoption as stated in the NDEPS.
